Bill > SB174

This bill establishes new regulations for planning boards in New Hampshire, specifically prohibiting them from considering the number of bedrooms in a residential development during the site plan and building permit review process. The legislation defines key terms such as "planning board" (the municipal body reviewing development proposals), "residential development" (any housing project with one or more units), and "bedroom" (a room intended for sleeping). Under the proposed law, planning boards are explicitly prohibited from using the number of bedrooms as a criterion for approving or rejecting a development proposal, and they must treat all residential developments uniformly regardless of unit bedroom configurations. The bill's underlying intent is to prevent potential discrimination or bias in housing development approvals based on unit size or bedroom count. The new rules will take effect 60 days after the bill's passage, giving local planning boards time to adjust their review processes to comply with the new guidelines.